Claimed│✓

FOURTEEN: THE MEN [PART TWO]

[Gideon]

I watched Maya as the words left my mouth;much to everyone else's relief. I didn't really know what she wanted from me but I wasn't going to give her anything to hate me over. If anything she should have already been wary of me but to no avail did this occur.

Every time I got close to her she would would move away but never enough to escape my presence.She always still so close to me, so easy to reach and take hold of.

I sat down by the window, ignoring all the noise buzzing around me.

I thought of Maya and how eager her spirit was. I could almost say she was desperate. It was nothing but it ticked me off for some reason.

Her eyes were always moving around especially at breakfast, observing, taking note of every little detail like it was about to disappear.

What had they done to her?

She had seemed surprised by the river when I waited for her to return with her catch.I knew I had manners. The rest must have left theirs at the door like I expected. Usually any meal consisted of every couple trying to settle some squabble or Eric and John teasing Richard about his scholarly demeanour.All the while Brian entertained himself by kicking me under the table. I missed the opportunity to break his toe this time around. They'd turned the damn thing into a case study.

I hadn't expected for Maya to know that much about myself so quickly. I wasn't some sex crazed man. I had enough blood lust in my system, I didn't need anything else causing problems for me. My father taught me better anyways.If I couldn't respect my own body how the hell was I supposed to care for someone else's.

"You do know the implications of this ceremony, don't you?" Richard asked pulling me from my thoughts.

"The basics." I replied. You share blood, you bond.Simple. It unsettled me though for her especially I wasn't anything but simple.

"Is there anything he should know? Gideon would never admit to being clueless." Eric snorted, sharing a knowing look with Brian. I hated ignorance, even in myself, not that I'd let it embarrass me. I wouldn't give Eric the chance.

John quietly sat back in his old chair, having given it up to his son soon after my mother and I first arrived in this place.

"Well as you know blood is very important to people like us and has certain features that when coupled with mating carries certain effects." he explained. He looked around wondering if any us had gotten lost. He'd been doing this out of courtesy ever since my mother came along.She was usually the one to talk my father's ear off. It was surprising to find her taming the same habit in Richard.

"Sharing dreams,memories. These things don't happen immediately.It's a process very strenuous on wolves if not treated with care. Those are more of the emotional and psychological attachments;other things can be shared as well between mates. Like the more physical ones, cuts and wounds." He sighed.

"It is a very unpredictable process with many implications. The faster you submit yourself to bonding with your companion the more susceptible you are to the connection. There have been times where even though blood has been shared, the connection can dry up, but it would take a complete disturbance to really sever anything as strong as a marriage. The bond reacts to each partner's fears and wants. However it is anything but living.It cannot dictate the connection between the two parties, it merely responds to them."

"Well shit, I wouldn't want Olivia knowing what I dream about?" I grimaced at how truly crude Eric could be at times. But I was unnerved myself, I didn't think the marriage would turn out to be so invasive.I feel like I've already given so much up already.

"Touch is very important in your relationship. It almost seems suspicious that the Elders would demand a marriage." Richard pointed out.

"They didn't. Her father requested it. I would like to say he cared for her but then I'd be lying. He was one cold bastard." He coughs out the last part looking sheepishly at his father. He'd picked up the habit of gossiping from his mother. It was obvious John had failed to get it out of him.

"Whatever his reasons he trusts us to care for his child. I expect that to be upheld, Gideon."

I looked up at John slowly nodding my head to his silent command. I had no interest in harming her, my wolf gave no signs of it either.He was rather impressed but I wouldn't put it past him to change course.

"I'm your neighbour's keeper." Brian pointed out.

"It doesn't always work out that way." John countered.

"How so?" Brian asked straightening himself in his chair.

"That story again?" Eric groaned from his spot.

"What story?" Richard asked,adding salt to the injury as Eric became noticeably annoyed.

"Oh," John cracked a smile at his son, looking eager to make him squirm. "just a little story my father,Johannes, heard from his father, Gregory. He used to tell me as a young boy, to scare my pants off. It worked with Eric and he still hasn't grown out of it."

I remembered those names, I'd signed mine next to them in the thick,worn book that now sat on Eric's desk in his office.Maya would sign her name right next to mine in ink and her life in a few days,in blood.

"Don't be a wuss,Eric."

"Shut it,Brian." he seethed back, "Can't a man be afraid of something in his life.Just get it over with if you must." he sighed.

"Yonder those mountains," John said winking at Brian's absorbed expression and stretching behind to point out the window, "used to be a pack of wolves, reduced to dogs."

"The story goes,something like, that they found a nice piece of meat but for some reason after having gorged themselves on it they became rabid. Lost control of themselves and their pack,tearing themselves apart. They began to rot from the inside out because of it. It is said that if you went deep into those mountains you'd hear the lost wolves howling. A pack lost is a terrible thing,Brian."

"That's not scary." Brian complained leaning back in his seat and looking at Eric in disbelief. "That scared you?They sound like your run of the mill rogues."

"But they aren't,Brian. Because you see they learned something from gorging that meat. They found knowledge.The meat is a metaphor of sorts. Their knowledge was very destructive Brian, all manners of human sacrifice. Rogues would tear you apart and let you decay peacefully into the elements. The ones my father says used to live in those mountains, won't give you that luxury. They'll use up everything your body has to offer them."

"Wow." Brian murmured, somehow sounding even less impressed.

Maybe if I told him, he'd understand but I wasn't interested in debunking any myths anytime soon. Anything that went on in those mountains was as good as dead.

"Grandfather was always fond of saying don't let the dogs out." Eric said.

My thoughts drifted back to Maya.I was just so damn curious.

It was another thing I felt like chiding myself over. I have never been this curious about anything before, let alone a she-wolf.

THIS IS AN UNEDITED DRAFT.THANK YOU FOR READING.